So do boats really hibernate, or is it sleep? Who cares, it’s just plain sad! The season is over, and yes, we hate that too. What can we do about it, nothing...except, take a minute to run through these items to make sure your cruiser is more ready for an early spring. The choice is yours on the below list, and you may do things differently than we suggest. This is just our opinion...based on 59 years of doing it on Big Rideau Lake :-)
One major factor is location. What you do with your cruiser is different in Eastern Ontario than it is in Florida.
- Mildew Factory! Make sure you fridge is clean, void of any food, dry, and secured open! It is not pleasant to find a science experiment in there in the spring.
- Take this with you! Food, alcohol, valuable jewelry, handheld devices, personal items.
- Leave this behind! Ropes, lines, fenders, canvas, batteries. These items store just fine on board if dry, and it makes spring commissioning easier for you or your marina if everything they need for launch is on board.
- Go with the flow! Regardless of how you store (inside a building, tarped, orshrinkwrap), air flow is key! Do not close all portholes tight. We recommend opening as much as possible without exposing to rain water or animals. If you can crack it open, do so.
- Spread stuff out! Don’t pile cushions or canvas on top of each other. Instead, prop things up so they have airflow around and under them as much as possible.
- Absorb it! We recommend a moisture absorber (Like Starbrite - No Damp) product be safely placed on board. This is a small step that will help reduce the possibility of molds and mildews.
- Clean but not spotless! We know that regardless of how clean we leave our boat in the Fall, it will require some TLC in the spring. Keep it tidy and free of grime, but don’t worry about making it gleam. You will be doubling some of that effort in the spring if you do.
- Pump it out! Make sure you (or your marina does) empty your holding and fresh water tanks in the fall.
- 8.5 The whole winterizing process (engines, oil and filter changes, water systems, generators, and A/C, etc.) is kinda important to!
Got any other tips (other than move to Florida)? Please comment below or send us an email. I would be happy to amend this post with them!